Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-03-26
FROM THE oOUNTRE.
A Gray-Haired Farmer Enters the Story
Telling Business.

A Gray-Haired Farmer Enters the Story
Telling Business.
Winfield Tribuns.
'.Be You an editorP'' said a weather
beaten countrynaan to the man of the
note book.
"Fm engaged on the Tribune" was
the answer.
'TYou are the man I'm looking for
then, by links" said tbs stranger. "Ive
got little story you might print if you
want to. It's true, every word Of it."
"What is it?' said his eZpectant lis
teaer.
aru tell you. live out on the Wal
nut. I've lived there sometime-nigh
onto fourteen years. People wern't very
plenty around Winfield as long ago as
that, but there was plenty Of game and
lots OF snakes and such. wasn't mar
ried then; bached nigh onto eight years,
then got spieed. Molly and I then
began Workin' hard 70 pay of the mort
gage on the farm. We had got along
nicely; had raised nearly all the money
and hoped to get the last hundred saved
before our third wedding day came. My
wife hoped to do a good deal towards II
by raisin' chickens aud selling them In
Winfield In the early summer. They
matched out first rate and IN May we had
fine collection OF chickens running
around the door. I used to shut them
all up nights In a large coop I had made,
for weasels and foxes were plenty. When
they were about four weeks old they be-
gan to disappear two or three a night.
We couldn't stand that and 1 examined
the coop all over but not a track or a
trace Of any thief, four legged or other
wise, could I find. The coop was built of
slabs, part Of it made tight and a part
with the slabs several inches apart, so as
to give the chickens plenty Of air. had
lined the inside Of the whole coop with a
coarse wire netting, with holes not
larger than your thumb"
GAS I said, there was not a trace OF
anything inside the coop and the wire
was all right all over, so I could not i'm
agine how the chickens were stolen; bat
the next night two more were gone and
one or two every night for week.
st had been sick for a week after the
stealing began, or would have watched
all night to see If couldn't catch the
chicken thief Molly set traps outside
the coop but it was no use. The chickens
were CROWN like weeds and it made us
feel poor to lose them that way, but there
didn't seem to be anything to do about
the matter. L was puzzled.
'Ihe first mOrnin' could be out doors
again, went to the coop and let the
chickens out. Close by one Of the posts
the ground seemed to be a little dis.
turbed and one OF the holes In the wire
netting was a little spread. straigh.
ened it up aud put trap on the outside
L told Molly 1 thought [ would watch
that night, but she would not hear to il
as was not well enough. We had LOST
nearly twenty chickens and was feeJin
quite discouraged.
81 went to the coop as usual the first
thing on getting up in the mornin' and
saw something mOvin' by the trap.
thought I had caught a weasel; but
when I came to the trap I saw there
was nOthin In it but that large blacl
snake was half through the netting ani
couldn't get farther. I was not long
killing him you may be sure, and moth
| in L had done before in six months die
me so much good as it did to cut tina
! tarnal reptile In two with a spade.
did 1t from inside the coop, as I WA
afraid if I tried it on the other side hr
would draw back into the coop and Try
another hole with better luck. III,
spade did not cut him In two although
gave him powerful stroke. 1t struci
something hard and as soon as Ihad kiIlel
him split him open to see what it was
What do you think I found In him? TIL
nightly chicken which he was accustome,
to eat, but which had grown so lsrg
that it kept him from getting out Of tn
cage.
I also found in him three $50 gol,
pieces. Myl how MOlly's eyes opene,
when showed her the pay the THE
had left behind him We did not los
any more chickens and We paid the mort
gage the next month.
''You look as if you did not belisv
me. No, don't want a cigar, but II
look up some other newspaper and Sc
if they won't believe what an old farme
has to say"